Days Go By
by Stormchilde
Summary: It's not just nerves that's making Greg's hands shake.
1. Chapter 1 A Distant Thunder

Title: Days Go By  
Author: Stormchilde – A.K.A. - Harper's Cat  
Archive: Please ask, I'll say yes but I'd like to know where it will be.  
Disclaimer: I don't own CSI or any of the characters, I don't make any money from this, I do it for my own twisted sense of fun.  
Rating: G  
Setting/Season: Season Three  
Spoilers: Mentions of incidents in "Playing with Fire" and "Inside the Box".  
Warnings: none unless you have a pre-existing heart condition and angst is bad for you.  
Comments/Feedback: Please, feed the Cat!  
Summary: Angst - It's not just nerves that's making Greg's hands shake.  
A/N: Yes, yes, I know I should be finishing my 'drom story but the muse is stubborn and she's taken an interest in torturing Greg. What could I do?

Chapter 1 – A Distant Thunder

"Where the hell is Greg?" Warrick demanded.  
Grissom raised an eyebrow at the investigator's angry tone. "In the lab?"  
"No."  
"He was there when I walked by a couple of minutes ago."  
"Well he isn't now!"  
"Have you paged him?"  
"Twice." Warrick paced, "I need those results from the warehouse DB."  
"Did you check the break room, maybe he's fixing some coffee."  
"He's not there, or the bathroom or the locker room or out back smoking."  
Grissom smiled, "Let's check the lab again, maybe he's avoiding your wrath."  
They walked down to the DNA lab, checking along the way to see if Greg was loitering in one of the other labs.  
"Greg?" Grissom called. The lab was unnaturally quiet. Normally Greg had one of his obnoxious CDs playing loudly while he danced around the lab, while somehow still managing to work on multiple cases.  
"Dammit, Sanders! I need those results!" Warrick complained.  
Grissom expected the young man to bound out waving the papers and making a scene but the lab tech didn't materialize. There were documents scattered haphazardly on the counter and the floor, an uncommon sight in Greg's normally meticulously organized domain. He gathered up the ones on the counter and bent to retrieve the ones on the floor. Shards of glass clinked on the tile as he picked up the pages.  
"What was that? Warrick asked irritably, "Did he break something?"  
Grissom stood and leaned over the counter, "Call an ambulance."  
Warrick was dialing even as he moved quickly to the other side. "Careful Gris." Glass crunched under his feet. "I need EMS to the DNA lab." Warrick's phone was held between his shoulder and chin as he helped Grissom roll Greg onto his back.  
"Greg? Can you hear me?" Grissom asked.  
Greg didn't respond, his eyes were open, pupils pinpoint and not changing as they moved him.  
"What the hell happened?" Warrick asked softly.  
Greg's lips moved, speaking too softly for Grissom to hear and he couldn't read it either.  
"What did he say?" Grissom demanded.  
"He's hard to understand," Warrick looked puzzled, "it sounds like he's drunk."  
"He's not drunk." Grissom brushed the hair back from Greg's eyes, noticing the drooping eyelids and the slack muscle response.  
"I think he said 'you said it would stop'." Warrick carefully dusted shards of glass off the front of the tech's lab coat. He jerked back as Greg started to shake.  
"Seizure!" Grissom shoved the chair back. "Help me get him to a clear spot."  
It was difficult to hold onto Greg but they didn't want to leave him lying on the shards of glass or near the counter where he might hit his head.  
The seizure ended shortly after they lay him near the doorway, the bandage on his neck was rapidly changing from white to scarlet.  
"What the hell is going on?" Warrick asked.  
"Something much more serious than I thought." Grissom replied. He leaned back, looking out the door at the people curiously following the paramedics. "In here." He directed them.


	2. Chapter 2 The Fallen One

Chapter 2 - The Fallen One

Grissom and Warrick told the medics what they knew about what had happened to Greg and about the explosion in the lab last week.  
"Has he been complaining of headaches or nausea since the accident?" One of the medics asked as they worked on Greg.  
Grissom looked at Warrick who shook his head. "Not that we know of."  
"Any weakness or confusion?"  
"His hands have been shaking." Grissom confessed, "I thought it was just nerves. I told him it would stop."  
Warrick frowned, "What's wrong with him?"  
The paramedic looked grim, "Hard to say for sure, but it could be a subdural hemorrhage."  
"That's bad isn't it?"  
"It's not good but it could be worse." They buckled Greg onto the stretcher and pulled it up. "If it had been an aneurysm or an subarachnoid hematoma he'd have been dead when you found him."  
Grissom watched with a heavy heart as they wheeled the stretcher out.  
"What's that kid done now?" Hodges grumbled as the medics rushed past, "poison himself?"  
Archie stepped around the older man, his heel coming down hard on the top of Hodges foot.  
"Ow!"  
"Sorry." Archie apologized, "Didn't see you there."  
Hodges looked furious but didn't say anything more as he retreated back into his lab.  
"That wasn't very nice." Grissom said.  
"He never is." Said Archie.  
"I was referring to you." Gil smiled, trying to lighten the mood.  
Archie smiled at the joke, "I don't play well with others. That's what my kindergarten teacher said anyway." The smile disappeared, "What happened?"  
"Not sure," Said Warrick, "I was looking for Greg and we found him on the floor in the lab." His voice trembled, "There was glass, I guess he dropped something."  
"He had a seizure." Grissom added.  
"Greg's not an epileptic. Do you think it has anything to do with the explosion?"  
"I'm going to find out." Said Grissom. "I'm going to Desert Palms, will you let the others know?"  
Archie nodded, "Keep us informed," he smiled "us lab rats stick together."  
"Mind if I come, Grissom?" Warrick asked.  
"What about your results?"  
Warrick looked guilty, "Greg is more important."

Grissom spoke softly to the nurse at the admissions desk for several minutes then came back to where Warrick was pacing.  
"He's in CAT scan right now, then they'll be taking him up to surgery." Grissom sighed. "He's stable for the time being but they're pretty sure it's a subdural hemorrhage."  
"I can't believe we didn't notice anything was wrong with him."  
"These things can go for weeks after an injury before they get serious enough to cause problems."  
"But you said his hands have been shaking."  
Grissom tried not to take it as an accusation, "I though it was just nerves." His tone was harsher than he intended.  
Warrick dug in his pockets for change, "I need some coffee, want some?"  
"Not now." Grissom watched as Brown went down the hall to the snack machines. Pulling out his phone, he dialed the AV Lab. "Archie? Yeah, I spoke to a nurse, he's stable but they're going to have to do surgery on him. Subdural hemorrhage, most likely a result of the explosion. Have Catherine, Nick and Sara come back yet?" He listened as the tech explained that the others had been told and were now on the way to the hospital. "Thanks Archie. Yeah, I'll tell him, thanks." Gil shut the phone off and tucked it back in the case.  
Warrick came back with two cups, "I got it from one of the nurses, it's better than the machine junk." He handed one to Grissom. "Look, I didn't mean to sound like I was blaming you…"  
"I know." Grissom interrupted gently, "We're both worried and it's making us snappy." He accepted the cup, "Archie said Hodges has your results, he left them on my desk."  
Brown took a sip from the cup he had clasped between his hands, "Thanks. Are the others coming?"  
"They should be here in a few minutes."

Catherine was exhausted; the last crime scene had been a real challenge, multiple guns, and multiple victims in a gang related argument. No one was in the DNA lab so she left the samples in the fume hood. She checked to make sure that the hotplate was off before she closed the door.

She leaned tiredly against the door to the AV lab, "Hey Archie, where is everyone?"  
"Grissom and Warrick went to Desert Palms, it's Greg."  
She was so worn-out that she only understood a couple of the words, "What's wrong with Warrick?"  
"It's not Warrick," Archie came over to her led her to his chair. "Are you okay?"  
"All this overtime, I just need some coffee." She yawned, "Where's Greg? I could sure use a cup of his Blue Hawaii right now."  
"He's at the hospital."  
"Who's at the hospital?" Sara asked, as she and Nick crowded into the small room.  
Archie looked exasperated, "Grissom and Warrick. Something happened to Greg in the lab…"  
"Oh my God!" Catherine leapt to her feet, "The fume hood, did I turn off the damn hotplate?"  
Nick grabbed her before she could rush out, "Sara and I double checked it, and it's not on."  
"Calm down Catherine, it's nothing you did," said Archie, "he collapsed in the lab and had a seizure."  
"Greg had a seizure?" Sara asked. "Why? How?"  
"I don't know for sure, Grissom said he'd call as soon as he knew anything but the paramedic said it could have been a subdural hemorrhage."  
"Let's go." Said Catherine.  
"_I'll_ drive." Said Nick, taking the keys from her.  
Nick isn't a native Vegas boy but he knows the route to the hospital, he shakes his head ruefully, it seems he's driven this road too many times of late.  
They are all silent in the minutes it takes to arrive. Nick illegally parks the Tahoe in a handicapped space but the women don't scold him as they hurry into the hospital.  
"Greg Sanders?" Sara asked the nurse at the station.  
"Sixth floor surgery waiting room," the nurse continues to give directions even though they've dashed for the elevator, "go right after you get off the elevator, then a left." She calls as the doors close.


	3. Chapter 3 Everything You Said

Chapter Three - Everything You Said.

Warrick looked up as he heard footsteps in the hallway, "They're here." He said and Grissom stood up.  
"What happened?" Catherine asked, sounding near tears.  
"Greg had a seizure."  
"Archie told us that." Sara snapped, "_Why_ did he have a seizure?"  
Nick put his arm around Sara's shoulders, "Hey, it's going to be okay."  
Warrick put a hand on Sara's crossed arms, "The doctors think it may have something to do with when he got hurt in the explosion."  
"It is my fault!" Catherine cried, bursting into tears.  
Grissom pulled her into a hug, rubbing her back, "You put the sample in the fume hood, Hodges left the hotplate on." He gently turned her face so that he could look into her eyes. "_It's not your fault_."  
"Greg Sanders' family?"  
They looked up and saw a man in scrubs.  
"Yeah," Nick's voice was thick, "that's us."  
"I'm Dr. Whitehall, the attending on call in the Trauma Center. I wanted to let you know how things are going."  
"Is he going to be okay?" Sara asked.  
"He's made it this far and that's a very good sign." Dr. Whitehall smiled. "You can't any one of you blame yourselves for this. These types of injuries are quiet and more often than not go unnoticed. I doubt even Greg truly understood that he was injured so badly."  
"Why did he have a seizure?" asked Sara "Is he epileptic?"  
"No, the seizures were a result of blood pooling in the skull and putting pressure on his brain."  
"Seizures?" Grissom ran a hand through his hair, "He's had more?"  
"Yes, but we've given him some medication to stop them for now."  
"How did he get blood in his skull?" asked Warrick.  
"Apparently when he was in the explosion, the force of it tore a small blood vessel in the lining surrounding the brain. At that time there wasn't enough bleeding to cause any problems and it scabbed over and started to heal."  
"Why now?" Catherine asked, "Why?"  
"There could have been many causes, we've ruled out medication and alcohol. The most likely reason was an increase in blood pressure brought on by stress and physical activity."  
"Stress." Said Grissom, "He's definitely had stress in the last week."  
"What going to happen to him?" Nick asked.  
"Our neurosurgeon, Dr. Bergsman, will be drilling a small hole into Greg's skull to relieve the pressure. At that time, he'll also find the bleeding vessel and repair it."  
"Is Greg going to be okay?" Sara asked, "I mean… you know, is he …damaged?"  
Dr. Whitehall smiled, "He'll be fine. You did the best thing for him getting him here as quickly as you did." He patted Sara's shoulder, "In a week he'll be back home and in a month you'll never know this happened."  
"When can we see him?" Catherine asked.  
"He'll be in surgery for," the doctor paused and looked at his watch, "about another hour then we'll move him to recovery and you can come in one at a time." His pager beeped and he pulled it out, "I've got to get back downstairs, if you need anything dial 510 to speak to one of the nurses." He turned and disappeared into the hall before they could thank him.

Grissom's phone rang and he fumbled to open it, trying not to wake Catherine who had fallen asleep against him on the couch. "Yeah." He answered.  
"I am not shutting this place down just because one of the employees is sick!" They could all hear Ecklie shouting. "Grissom you get your team back here now or else!"  
Grissom snorted, "Or else what? You'll suspend us?"  
Catherine shifted and sat up, rubbing her eyes, "Who's yelling? Is Greg okay?"  
"Our shift is almost over, we're all tired and need some rest." Grissom said calmly, "We'll be back tonight."  
"You'd better be!"  
Grissom winced as the connection clicked off loudly. "Tyrant." He grumbled.  
He looked around; smiling at the others sprawled in chairs.  
"It's been more than an hour," said Nick, looking at his watch "Should we call?"  
Warrick reached for the phone on the table, it rang just as he grabbed it. "Hello?" He listened, smiled, then hung up the phone. "That was the nurse," he sighed in relief, "Greg's awake and asking to see us."  
"You go first." Grissom said, helping Catherine to her feet.  
"I'm a mess," she said, wiping away the tears that filled her eyes, "You go."  
Sara came up, combing her fingers through Catherine's hair, "You look fine, now go tell Greg we promise not to drink all his coffee." She gave her a gentle push toward the door.

Catherine paused in the doorway; she smiled, laughing softly at the sight of Greg's hair poking out of the white bandage around his head.  
Greg opened his eyes, "You gonna just stand there and laugh at me," his voice was low and rough, "or are you gonna come in?"  
She walked over and took one of his hands in both of hers. "You look…" she was trying to find a kind word but he interrupted her.  
"Hey, I've had a long day," he laughed, "and you don't look so hot yourself."  
"How do you feel?"  
"Sore." He groaned. "Everything aches."  
She kissed his hand, "It'll get better."  
"It already has."  
Catherine grinned, "Really?"  
"The nurse said my family was in the waiting room."  
"Well, you know." Catherine blushed.  
"It means a lot to me that you guys were here."  
"You're our favorite lab rat."  
"Don't tell Archie," Greg coughed and winced, "he thinks he is."  
"I won't if you won't." She picked up a cup, poured some water into it and held the straw to his lips. Greg drank most of it and his eyes closed.  
"You get some rest kiddo." She brushed the back of her fingers across his cheek and Greg smiled. "We'll be back later okay?"  
"Tell Grissom," Greg's eyes clenched shut as he coughed again, "Tell him I'm not afraid anymore."  
Catherine leaned over the bed rail, kissing his cheek and her tears fell on the fresh bandage on his neck. "I'll tell him." Her voice cracked, "You'll be alright."  
A nurse came over, smiling apologetically, "He needs to rest, can you come back later?"  
"Sure." Catherine backed towards the door as more nurses came in. "I promise, I'll be back, Greg."

The others gathered around her, hugging and touching her as they waited for her to find her voice.  
"He's tired." She finally said, sniffling. "I promised we'd come back later."  
"He's okay though, right?" Sara asked, tears on her cheeks.  
Catherine nodded, "He's just tired," she laughed a little, "He was joking with me and started coughing."  
"That must have hurt." Nick winced in sympathy for his friend.  
'Yeah." Warrick agreed.  
"Gris, he wanted me to tell you that he's not afraid anymore." Catherine smiled.  
Grissom smiled back, "I told him it would stop."  
"And you never lie."  
"Evidence never lies. Me," Grissom laughed, "I'm just always right."

The end


End file.
